Evacuations

Flames engulfed suburban homes and shot up along canyon ridges in one of the worst of several blazes that broke out Wednesday in Southern California during a second day of a sweltering heat wave, taxing fire crews who fear the scattered fires mark only the beginning of a long wildfire season.

Cash-paying motorists crossing the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge on Monday night were not being charged a toll, after toll takers evacuated to the toll plaza office because of smoke from a fire burning at the nearby Richmond Chevron oil refinery.